







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Taking Bear out usually takes me an hour. | |
| Yeah, I like having lasagne the day after it's cooked, it tastes better. | |
| It definitely costs a lot, but that's not the only problem. | |
| Umm, you can tell them it's our wedding anniversary. | |
| And this is my girlfriend, Cate. | |
| Do we have a mortar and pestle? | |
| Okay, it seems they have no aggression towards each other. | |
| Who knows, I consider it as nothing more than a hobby. | |
| Sorry, madam, Friday is one of our busiest nights! | |
| That one is a single room, I want a double. | |
| Are you going to say sorry for saying I am stupid then? | |
| Yeah, I wonder if we share the same taste in movies! | |
| It's all your fault! I feel so embarrassed now... | |
| Do you want me to put it in the bin? | |
| My housemates don't clean anything in the kitchen. | |
| Yeah, I guess spring is the worst time for allergies! | |
| My laptop is in it. | |
| Well, I don't think we need to cook too many things at once. | |
| Yes, that's okay, we are just about to leave. | |
| He is fine. | |